I took an interest in radio at an early age when I found a copy of a 1963 ARRLHandbook in my dad's collection of technical books. He was an instrument fitter by trade with a general interest in electronics. I recall he had, what appeared to me, some half completed audio projects in one corner of the garage.

I also recall as a 10 year, old turning the pages of the handbook and 'dreaming' of one day being a radio amateur and building one of those transmitters and receiver circuits described in the book. Back then I was not sure of the difference between a transmitter and receiver when looking at the circuits. I did not just want to talk on 'the radio' but I wanted to know how to build my own. I could have gone down the CB radio path if all I was interested in doing was talking!

A few years later when I was 14 dad took me to a local radio club and we both enrolled in a study course which was held one evening each week. We both passed the final test a few months later although dad did better than me. Not much progress for a couple of years until I turned 16 and sat for the Limited Amateur Operators Certificate of Profficiency exam at the Radio Inspector's Office in Newcastle. I passed this exam and applied for a callsign and was granted VK2YAU. Since then I have held the callsigns VK2GME, VK4CGM before acquiring VK2FC around 1999. My original certificate is pictured below.

Since leaving school I've spent most of my working life in the electronics & communications industry.